Sharing our itinerary for anyone who is looking to plan a trip. We had a wonderful time and would love to go back and take the kids someday.
Airport: We flew in and out of San Francisco as it was easiest to get in and out of from ATL
Day 1: Flight from ATL to San Fran
- Rented a car and drove to Pacifica (about 15 minutes) for a late lunch – we ate at Camelot Fish and Chips which is a little pub with really tasty fish and chips
- Started our journey south down HWY 1 from Pacific to Moss Landing stopping at many sights to enjoy hiking and views along the way (lots of amazing places you can stop including tons of farm stands and beaches): highly recommend pulling over at Gray Whale Cove State Beach, and driving through Santa Cruz is fun and interesting as well
- Phil’s Landing in Moss Landing as a delicious spot for dinner and you can see the sea lions and seals up close while you eat
- Stayed the night at the Inn at Moss Landing – nothing fancy but it was clean and affordable and one of the only places to stay in this area
Day 2: Enjoyed a delicious breakfast burrito from a hole in the wall in Monterey while overlooking the ocean (the breakfast spot is right behind the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa before heading to Point Lobos State Park
- Spent over half the day in Point Lobos and this ended up being one of our highlights of the trip – the views are stunning! So many amazing rocks and tidal pools to explore, lots of wildlife (we saw dolphins, seals, sea lions, and lots of birds)
- Continued down HWY 1 south and crossed over Bixby Bridge
- Ate a late lunch at Big Sur River Inn which was delicious and such a fun experience – they give you your order to go in a blue cooler and you picnic out back of the restaurant by the river – they also had delicious cocktails
- Explored some of the red woods in the Big Sur area and ultimately hiked to see McWay Falls (very easy but worth it hike) – the drive is extremely high up without many (or any) guardrails so be aware, it is scary but beautiful! We were in a Jeep which I highly recommend if you can rent one.
- Came back to Carmel and explored the beautiful Carmel by the Sea town – we stayed at the Hofsas House which I highly recommend. It was beautiful, extremely convenient and has a pool and real fireplaces in each room. The staff were so friendly! We would 100% stay there again in the future.
- We tried to go to Mission Ranch for dinner but the wait was several hours so ended up at a different downtown restaurant instead
Day 3: Went Whale Watching in Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey
- We started our day off with a delicious, complimentary breakfast of local fruit and pastries from Hofsas House
- Then we headed off to go on our whale watch tour. This ended up being one of the highlights of our trip, so worth it! We saw lots of humpback whales and even had the chance to follow a mom and baby whale for several hours. Depending on the time of the year they often see Orca whales.
- After the whale watching tour we ate lunch at one of the many delicious lunch spots in the Old Fisherman Wharf area
- After lunch we headed back to Carmel by the Sea and enjoyed shopping around some stores and exploring the town
- We checked out the beautiful Crescent Beach at the end of Carmel and enjoyed a drink and a snack together on the beach
- We had a delicious dinner at La Bicyclette in Carmel by the Sea and wrapped up the day with a warm fire in our in room fireplace back at the Hofsas House
Day 4: We spent the morning doing some last minute shopping in exploring in Carmel before heading out on the 17 mile Drive
- The 17 mile drive is $10 and takes you all around the Pebble Beach area – there are lots of beautiful spots to explore and check out and wonderful restaurants and places to picnic – we spent over half of the day on this adventure
- After wrapping up our time at Pebble Beach we made our way back north on HWY 1 to Half Moon Baby
- We stayed the night at The Ritz at Half Moon Bay and enjoyed the live bagpiper that evening and a glass of wine overlooking the ocean
Day 5: Woke up bright and early to make our reservation to see the Redwoods at John Muir State Park
- To get there you cross the Golden Gate Bridge which is always beautiful! The redwoods were amazing and something I would highly recommend adding to your list. Just make sure to make a reservation in advance as they book up months in advance.
- After doing some hiking in the Redwoods we headed to Sausalito for lunch. This town ended up being one of my favorite spots we visited. It was gorgeous and offered a lovely view of the harbor and Alcatraz and we were even able to watch seals playing in the water while we ate overlooking the bay.
- After lunch we drove around a little bit in San Francisco to see the Painted Ladies before heading back to the airport
All in all it was a wonderful trip and while it included a lot of driving the views were spectacular! I highly recommend this trip and would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our agenda and experience.
Happy Travels!
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